photo-litho



AM. PHOTO-LITRO.. C0. N.Y. (USBORN E'S PROCESS) i gleiten-gister; @anni @frn THOMAS W. KNOX, OF' NEW YORK, Y.

i Letters Patent No. 68,088, dated August 27, 1867. i

IMPROVEMENT IN-TRANSMITTING PLANS or BATTLE-FIELDS BY isLLeRAPLL ro ALL wHoMj-IT MAY coronas:

Be it known that I, TII'oMsS W. KNOX, of the city, county, ,and State of New York, have invented anew and improved Mode orDevice forTransmitting, by Telcgraph,"1lans of Battle-Fields, topography of country, position ot' troops, and maps of any portion of'the carths surface; and I do hereby'v declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon. i Y

For this purpose blanks, similar to that; marked A, are to be prepared, covering a rectangular or otherwise shaped space or surface of anyrequired size, and divided into smaller rectangular or other figures to any size desired.

In the drawings herewith submitted the space covered is a rectangle, each side of which measures six inches; this rectangle being divided into viive hundred and seventy-six (576) 'rectangles of equal size-. These small rectangles are numbered, Veacli with a different number, beginning at the upper left-hand corner and numbering the horizontal lines or 'series thereof in succession.

In the use'of this device it is proposed to vary the order of numbering whenever it is ydesired torenderit unintelligible toothers than the person or. persons to whom the information'is addressed. Blanks of similar size, shape, and numbering are tobe in. the possession of the person sending and the one receiving a telegraphic map of any portion of the carths surface, or a delineation of the position of troops on a battlefield or elsewhere. The map to be transmitted must be drawn on one'of these blanks and then reduced to written or printed words for transmission by telegraph.` I i In the drawings herewith submitted, A represents a blank ofthe size of'sixV inches square, divided. into five hundred and seventy-six (576) numbercd'rectangles'. B represents a similar blank with a plan of battle-field drawn thereon. which plan is to be reduced to words'in the following manner, giving the numbers of such of the small rectangles or 4squares as are crossed or occupiedby 'the object or line toibo described: Magnetic north, seventy-three to twenty-seven. Public road, ive hundred and tive, three hundred siXty-cight, two hundred thirty-one, one hundred sixty, ninety-one, and twenty-four'. Mountain chains, 515, 519, 498, 452, and 360. Single mountain, 39and 40. Lake, 560, 55,9, 486, 464, and4 560'. River, 462, 366, 251, 227, 135, 86,V 90, and 19. General headquarters, 58 and 59. Division A, 340, B, 316 and 293;A C, 294; D, 247; E, 224; F, 200 and 177; G, 131; H, 108; 1,1069 and 86; J, 8G and 63. Battery, 339 and 864; K, 179. -Opposing army, division A 465; B, 466; C, 467 and 443; D, 445 and 423; E, 424; F, 402; G, 378 and'355; H, 356 and 333. Battery, 310. i

The person who'reecivcs the foregoing in the form of a telegraphic message will proceed to locate on the blank A the positions of whatever objects may be mentioned in the message, designating such positions by their appropriate names. `When he has faithfully accomplished this, his map, if the message has been correctly written and ktransmitted and received, will be practically a copy of map B. T hcsamc process will serve for the transmission, by telegraph, of other maps and plans, and with blanks of` other shape and size, provided the blanks in' the hands of both sender and receiver bc of similar character. The disposition of troops before or after an engagement can thus be communicated from one oiiicer to another-. i

A'commanding oiccr at a distanccean give orders for the disposition of troops in their respective positions by means of this device. nformation concerning thc face of a country, and the location ot' cities, towns, houses, or other geographical features or strategic Vpoints can thus -be conveyed. The courscand extent of rivers, roads, mountain chains, and other natural features, as well as thc course and direction and longitudinal extent of mines and mining claims, can bc shown in the same manner.

For the sake of simplicityin the use of this device the following suggestion is made: Isolated objects will be shown by the single numbers (two or more being used if necessary) that designate their positions. Straight lines can be shown by giving the numbers between which they are drawn. Regular or irregular curves can be shown by giving the numbers where the curves (or the greatest bend of the curves) occur.4 Enclosed. spaces, lakes, forests, or other areas can be shown by giving'thc numbers that markthe boundaries. The course of a 'river can be shown by reading the numbers in the direction of its current. Thus, in the ekamplc given. the mountain chain extends from 515 through 498,-452,.to 360, the intermediate numbers not being given.

It Will be observed that this method of communicating information linvolves great comprehensiveness as well as precision, and that at the same time the message which contains it is necessarily a secret to those who may intercept it, unless they have a blank map divided into small rectangles or squares like those from which the sender ofthe message reads. .By means of this invention, therefore, messages of great importance may be sent without fear of evil consequences from being intercepted by an enemy, and yet the greatest simplicity is preserved both in getting up and transmitting, and also in receivinga'nd interpreting them, the usual intricacies of a cipher being avoided. The means of comnmnicating and transmitting the information may be by letter, er by signal, or by telegraph, according as one or another is most convenient.

Having thus described inyvinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

Transmitting or giving plans of battle-fields, positions of troops, andtopographical and other features of a country, by means of reetangularfor other divisions marked on blanks of paper or other material, and numbered in any agreed order, only as above set forth.

' THOS. W. KNOX.

Witnesses:

J. C. HUTcnmsoN, J. R. ROBINSON. 

